THE WHIPPER-IN 115 



is a good disciplinarian. It is the second whipper- 

 in who, when hounds are wanting at the end of a 

 long hard day, is sent to look them up, with a 

 sharp admonition to keep his eyes open for the 

 future. And though it must be admitted that a 

 little carelessness on his part when hounds are 

 going away from a covert is often the reason why 

 numbers are short at the end of the day, I am 

 always sorry for him when he has those long 

 solitary rides in the dark. But he is young and 

 does not feel the hardship, and doubtless on these 

 solitary rides he builds castles in the air as to what 

 he will do when he himself is on his promotion 

 and carries the horn. 



The second whipper-in has plenty of hard work, 

 but the first whipper-in's duties are of a much 

 more important character. The second whipper- 

 in will be told on occasion that he has to do as he 

 is told and not to think for himself; his senior 

 will be asked at times, when things are not going 

 too well, " Why can't he think, and what are his 

 brains for? " 



For the first whipper-in has a most important 

 post to fill. If the huntsman must always be with 

 his hounds, the first whipper-in must be every- 

 where at once. He must keep a sharp eye forrard 

 for holloas and take care, when foxes are numerous 

 and scent serves none too well, that hounds do not 

 change on to a fresh fox. He must always keep 

 well in front whilst hounds are drawing, be at 

 hand to turn hounds to the huntsman if necessary, 

 and yet see that a fox does not steal away unseen, 

 a thing which is not unlikely to happen when a 

 country has been well hunted, unless he keeps a 

 very sharp look-out indeed. 



